


Let The Games Begin

by rosie_miller03



Series: The Games [1]
Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hunger Games Setting, F/F, F/M, M/M, Malec, Multi, POV First Person, Valentine is President Snow, alec is a BAMF, so is Magnus
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-11-23
Packaged: 2019-07-03 09:16:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15815946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosie_miller03/pseuds/rosie_miller03
Summary: Hunger Games auWhen Max Lightwood is picked for the Hunger Games, it seems like the end of the world.But things are about to get much worse.





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I own nothing. The Hunger Games and The Shadowhunter Chronicles are both owned by famous authors and not me.

 

I woke up to the person I love most in the entire world screaming. I shot upright and pulled him into my arms.

“Shh. It’s okay. I’ve got you. You’re okay.”

Magnus looked up at me, with wide, fearful eyes. “You were picked, Alexander. And I lost you. I can’t lose you.” He buried his face in the crook of my neck.

Some people might say that we were too young when we got married. But I disagree. With the Hunger Games, you never know what could happen. I think that it’s perfectly okay to get married at sixteen and seventeen. Especially when you know that this is it for you. That you’ll never love anyone else the same way again. That this is the person you’ll spend the rest of your life with, whether you get married now or in ten years. I would marry Magnus again in a heartbeat.

The door to our bedroom flew open. My little sister, Isabelle ran in and jumped onto our bed. She squeezed in between us and wrapped her arms around both of us. “What happens if I get picked, Alec?”

I leaned down and kissed her forehead. “I’ll make sure you get home. I’d go in with you and we could be a ruthless pair. The siblings from District 12.”

“But only one of us would get to go home.”

“Don’t worry, Izzy. You’d come home.” Izzy sniffed and buried her face in the pillow she had stolen from me.

I felt Magnus reach over and squeeze my hand. Izzy managed to drift back to sleep and just as I was on the verge of unconsciousness, my younger brothers, Jace and Max barreled into our room and pounced on us.

“Alec!” sobbed Max. “I’m scared!”

Max is twelve, and I made him put his name in the minimum amount of times. I took all of the tessare. I swore to protect him when he was born, and I refuse to go back on that now.

“It’ll be okay, Maxie.”

All five of us squeezed under the covers, all three of my siblings (somehow) laying with their heads on my chest. I held Magnus’ hand from where he was, on the other side of Izzy and Max.

It was late, so we all easily fell asleep again.

________________________________________________________________________________________

A kiss and a whispered question are what woke me again, several hours later. “Do you know how much I love you?”

I blinked sleepily at my husband. “What?” I whispered back.

“I love you. So much.” Magnus’ eyes shone with what could only be love and utter adoration.

“I love you too,” I replied, simply. Because that’s what it was. Simple. Loving Magnus was the easiest thing I’ve ever done.

I looked around when I realized there were no siblings in our bed. I grinned at him mischievously. He grinned back. He shoved me out of bed and I threw myself at the door, locking it. Then I turned and dove at him. He roughly grabbed me by my hair and pulled me down into a kiss.

I kissed him back, and just as I was about to push him down, a knock sounded on the door.

I groaned. “Do you think if we ignored them, they’d leave us alone?”

“You’re funny,” Magnus said, giving me a look that said, “We both know there’s no way that’s happening.”

“I know. But I want them to leave!” I moaned into his neck.

“I know dear.”

I groaned again and sat up. I hopped out of bed, grabbed his hands, pulled him up, and opened the door.

Maryse, my mother, stood, leaning against the door frame. “Hello, boys. I figured I should probably get you two up. We need to be in the square in two hours. And you two need to shower and get dressed. Izzy went out and traded some cheese for some oatmeal, so were having oatmeal and strawberries for breakfast. Hurry up.”

She pulled the door closed as she turned and left. I pulled open the door and followed her, giving Magnus the bathroom first.

“Mom. Hey! Mom!” I called, grabbing onto her apron so she’d wait for me.

“Yes, Alec?”

“Are you still mad at me?” She was mad that I had married Magnus. Because I’m sixteen and he’s seventeen and we’re supposedly too young.

“You got married and told no one except Isabelle, Jonathan, and Maxwell. And Raphael. So. Yes, Alexander. I am. You should have told us. We would have been much more supportive if we had known.”

“It’s my choice! You should be supportive no matter what! I don’t regret what I did for a second. I would marry him every day. I love him and you can’t erase that.”

My mom let out a deep breath. “I know. I’m not mad about that. I’m just stressed. It’s reaping day. And I’m going to have to see Robert. And Annamarie. And I’ll have to see her pregnant. I don’t want to deal with this today. Especially today. I’m sorry to have taken that out on you. You know that I love Magnus. And I love you. I love to see you happy, and if he makes you happy, then I’m glad.”

My dad ran away with his mistress last year. She lives in the richer part of District 12, if it can even be considered rich. He was going to leave after Izzy was born, but then Max was coming and we adopted Jace. So he stayed, but he kept cheating on mom.

So it’s really much better that he has finally left. None of want anything to do with him. But he’s always in our lives. He acts like he cares more than he does. He got a job at our school, despite the fact that all of his children hate him.

So we decided to make his life miserable. We question everything he does. We disrespect him.

He disapproves of my relationship with Magnus. I flaunt it in his face.

I hugged my mom and kissed her cheek.

Magnus walked out of the bathroom, using a towel to dry his hair. He looked up at me and smiled. “The bathroom’s all yours, Darling.”

I leaned down and kissed him. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

My mom smiled at him and pulles him into a hug. “Thank you for loving my son,” she whispered into his ear.

He beamed at her. “Thank you for letting me love him.” They both had tears in their eyes.

I looked him over again quick. He looks nice. Well, as nice as you can look in District 12.

He had on nice black pants, a white button down, and a pair of black shoes. His hair was slicked back, and it made my heart hurt. I wanted to hold him and never let him go. I felt fear crawl its way up my chest. What if he gets picked? I know I’d volunteer in a heartbeat.

I forced a smile at him. I kissed his cheek and went to the bathroom to get ready.

______________________________________________________________________________

 

We arrived at the square. There were a lot of people. I held onto Magnus and Izzy’s hands. I looked towards Jace, to make sure he was with my mom and Max.

After we signed in, we went to the roped off area to wait. It was roped off by age and gender, so I was standing in front of where Magnus is, but behind where Jace is. Max was in the very front. Izzy was alone in the fifteen-year-old girls section.

I saw Max look back, and I gave him what I hope was a reassuring smile.

We waited for a while, when Effie Trinket showed up. She ran through the normal, boring things, before saying, “Ladies first!”

She reached into the bowl and picked a card. This year, I realized, her hands didn’t have gloves on, and her nails were like talons. Pink talons.

“Cristina Rosales."

I heard a woman cry out, and saw a sixteen year old girl look devastated, before she schooled her features into an unreadable look. I knew Shona. She went to school with me. I felt bad for her. And her parents. She was their only child.

I was thinking about how her family was going to survive, and I almost missed her call the boys.

“Now for the boys.”

I held my breath in anticipation.

“Maxwell Lightwood.”

Holy shit.

“I volunteer!” Jace and I shouted at the same time. I pushed my way out.

“I volunteer as tribute!” I shouted. I saw Max shaking his head at me and shouting, “No! No! No!”

I shoved Jace back into the crowd of fifteen year olds.

I pushed my way through the Peacekeepers. “Max! Max!” I called.

The Peacekeepers put grabbed at me, but I shook them off. “Max!” I pulled him into my arms. He was sobbing.

“No! Alec!”

“Max! Go find mom! Go!”

I pushed him behind me. “I volunteer.”

Effie held out her hand for me to take. I took it and she helped me up to the steps.

“Well, bravo! That's the spirit of the Games!” She looks very happy. It must be because our District is finally interesting.

“What's your name, dear?” Effie asks.

“Alec Lightwood,” I mumble.

“I bet my buttons that was your brother. Don't want him stealing all the glory! Now, a round of applause for this year's District 12 tributes!”

The square was silent.

It started with Jace. He put his three middle fingers on his left hand to his lips and held it to the air. Towards me.

Soon after, everyone else in the square followed suite.

Much too soon, the Peacekeepers led us to the Justice Building, where we waited for visitors.

The first person to come through the door was Magnus. He ran straight into my arms. “You idiot. You stupid, selfless, idiot. I hate you so much,” he said through the tears. “I love you so much!”

I just took it. I knew this was how he was going to cope with this. “I love you more.”

“I love you most. Promise me this. Please. Try to win. Please. If anyone can, it’s you.”

I looked down at the person I love most in this cruel world. I knew I couldn’t deny him this. Hell, I couldn’t deny him anything, so why start now?

“I’ll try. I promise. I’m coming back to you.”

He looked down at me. He’s taller than me by two inches. “I love you. Shortie.”

I scrunched up my nose at him. “You’re two inches taller than me. And I’m six foot nothing!”

“I know. And I love that. I love you.”

He’d said that to me multiple times, but I knew that neither of us minded. I knew that we would want to say it just in case.

“I love you too. God, do I love you.”

He blinked back tears. “You’ll win, Darling. Do you want to know why?”

I nodded, not wanting to say anything, in fear that I’d say something that would worry him more.

“I know that you’ll win, because you have the greatest token from a District ever. It’s going to bring you good luck.”

He reached around his neck and unlatched a necklace. It was a simple, thin, gold chain. And on that chain were two rings. Our wedding rings. I worked in the mines, so I didn’t have mine, just in case something was to happen, so he kept both of them.

He pulled one of the rings off of the chain, and stuck it on his ring finger on his left hand. He took the other ring off the chain, before putting the chain around my neck. He grabbed my left hand and carefully put the ring onto my ring finger.

I pulled him close and kissed him. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

All too soon, the doors opened and the Peacekeepers came into the room. They ordered him out. I grabbed onto the front of his shirt and pulled him into a kiss. One that could possibly be the last that I ever had. “I love you!” I called after him.

“I love you too! See you soon!” I heard him call back.

The next people that came into the room were my mom, Jace, Izzy, and Max.

Max ran straight into my arms when he saw me. “Alec! I’m so sorry!” He sobbed.

I squeezed him tight. “It’s fine, Max. As long as it wasn’t you. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself if you’d had to go in!”

“You should have let me go instead, Alec!” Jace said, his chin quivering, like he was going to cry. I knew if he started to cry, I’d start to cry.

I let go of Max and hugged Jace. “But if I’d let you volunteer instead, then you’d be going into the Games. And I would rather die than see any of you go into the Games.”

Izzy burst into tears. “Alec! You have to come back. Okay? Please! I need you!”

I pulled her into a hug. “I will Izzy. I will. I already promised Magnus that I would. But I’ll promise you as well. I, Alec Lightwood, promise you, Isabelle Lightwood, Jace Lightwood, Maxwell Lightwood, and Maryse Lightwood, I will come back to you.”

My mom pushed through my siblings and wrapped me into her arms. “I love you,” she murmured in my ear.

“I love you too. Please take care of Magnus. I know Izzy and Jace will take care of themselves and Max. But I’m worried about Magnus. I’m afraid he’ll shut down.”

“Of course.”

“Do you have a token?” asked Izzy.

I held up my left hand and immediately wished I hadn’t.

Iz’s face crumpled. Jace lost any resemblance of self control and began sobbing. Max buried his face in my shirt. My mom whimpered.

I should have known them seeing my wedding ring would have set them off. I felt tears streaming down my own cheeks. And I knew I had to be strong for them.

“Look. I am going to win this damn thing, and I will make it home. Do you understand?”

Izzy smiled at me through her tears. “I love you, big brother.”

“I love you too.”

The Peacekeepers came in again, and kicked them out of the room.

“Win this, Alec! Please!” Izzy called, turning her around in Jace’s arms, sobbing.

“I will Izzy! I love you! I love all of you!”

My last visitor was unexpected.

It was Raphael Santiago, Magnus’ brother.

“You need to come back to him. He won’t be able to handle your death too.”

Raphael was straight to the point.

I knew he was right. After his mother died from starvation ten years ago, he took death a lot more personally.

I nodded. “I know, Raph. Take care of them for me? I know they think they don’t need to be taken care of, but they do. Trust me.”

“Of course, Alec. And don’t call me Raph. It’s Raphael.”

I smiled weakly at him. “Will you tell them that I love them? Please?”

“I’m sure they know, but I will.”

“Thank you.”

We sat comfortably for a few minutes, until the Peacekeepers came to get Raphael.

I stood up and hugged him. “Thank you.”

He hugged me back. “You’re gonna win this thing.”

I sniffed and nodded. “Bye, Alec.”

“Bye, Raph.”

He nodded. “Good luck.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

I sat on the really nice train, and thought about my family.

Max would be able to sell milk and cheese from Princess, his old goat. Jace would go hunting, and he’d bring Izzy and Magnus with him. The Peacekeepers would be willing to buy from them, despite it being against the law. And mom would paint and bake and hopefully be okay.

But Magnus. It was Magnus I was worried about. We had just gotten married about four weeks ago. And now I was gone. If I died while I was in the Hunger Games, I don’t know if he’d be able to recover. Especially after his mother’s death.

I knew that I would give up a fight. If not for me, then for Magnus. The love of my life.

“C’mon dear, let’s go eat!” Effie Trinket said, gesturing to a fancy table, covered with food. So much food. Eggs, ham, piles upon piles of fried potatoes. Fruit in containers sat in ice, to keep it cold. Baskets of rolls and crystal pitchers of orange juice. A ceramic mug was set in front of me. It was steaming and filled with what looked like coffee. I didn’t think it was coffee, though there was a pitcher of that too.

“It’s called hot chocolate,” Cristina said, softly. “It’s really quite good.”

I looked at it suspiciously. It smelled good, but I wasn’t sure how it would taste.

It was really, really sweet. “Have you never had hot chocolate, dear?” Effie asked.

I shook my head. “It’s very sweet.”

“That it is,” said another person I hadn’t noticed sitting at the table yet. Hodge Starkweather. My mentor. The one person who is responsible for whether I live or die.

I looked at him. He studied me. Then he reached for a glass of wine.

“You’re going to help us, right?” Cristina asked, tucking a dark lock of hair behind her ear. 

Hodge looked at us both. “There’s no point. You’re both going to die. Might as well accept that.”  
“I am going to win this. Even if I have to kill every single person there,” I said, then I looked at Cristina with an embarrassed expression. “Sorry, Cristina.”

“C’mon, Alec. We all know that if District 12 has a victor, it’s going to be you.” she said, with a shrug.

I gaped at her. Did everyone think this? More importantly, did someone tell her this? Who would tell a girl about to go into the Hunger Games, that she wouldn’t win because the other person from her District would be the winner?

“I mean, it’s true. I’m not denying it. I know it. You know it. We all know it. I mean, look at you! You’re ripped and-” she cut herself off, flushing bright pink.

I did the only thing I could think of. I blurted out, “I’m gay.”

She grinned amusedly at me. “I know. We all know. The entire District. You and Magnus are so cute, it's not even fair. I was simply commenting on the fact that you know how to hunt and you're good at it. You'll have a better chance in the arena. That's all I was saying.”

“Oh,” I said, sheepishly. I was embarrassed. I didn't know everyone in the District knew about us. I mean, I didn't think we were big talk. I thought we just were kinda, a couple. Not a big thing. “Well then.”

Cristina laughed. She seemed to be coming out of her shell more and more. “Don't worry,” she teased. “We all think it's cute!”

“Because that's my biggest worry,” I shot back. “Whether you all think we're cute or not.”

“Don’t worry. We all think you’re absolutely adorable.”

I rolled my eyes and was suddenly aware of Hodge watching us over the brim of his wine glass. Effie came clicking back into the room.

“Now remember, children, we are here to help you, so please, anything that could better your chances in the Games, please let us know.”

“Alec is insanely good at hunting. And he’s, like, ripped and stuff.”

I rolled my eyes at her. Of course, she’d try to talk me up to Effie and Hodge. She’s selfless that way.

“Well, Cristina’s smart. Like, the smartest in her class.”

“It doesn’t matter if I’m smart! Not here!” Cristina looked angry. “You don’t understand, Alec. I have no chance of winning! Zero! My mom said something before I left. I knew then that it wasn’t about me. She said, ‘This might be the year District 12 finally has another victor.’ and she wasn’t talking about me.”

“On the contrary, Miss Rosales. Brains are almost as important as brawn in the Games. If you don’t know which berries to eat, you could die. If you don’t know how to start a fire, you could die. If you don’t have a plan of escape for when you inevitably run into the Careers, you could die. You need to be able to kill someone and feed yourself in the arena. Don’t count yourself out, Miss Rosales.” Hodge said, finally telling us something useful.

“Are you two-,” Effie looked unsure of herself, unusually flustered. “-together?”

I laughed. I laughed harder than I have in a long time. “I’m married. Not to her.”

“I don’t know whether to be flattered that you thought we were together, or whether to laugh!” Cristina said, giggling.

“You’re so young, dear! How are you already married?” Effie looks like her birthday came early. “I’m not complaining, I mean, we can use this to your advantage! A boy with a girl at home, hoping for him to come home to her! It’ll make everyone’s hearts melt!”

Cristina burst out laughing. She fell off her chair, and laid on the ground, with tears running down her cheeks. Even Hodge was chuckling.

“What’s so funny?” Effie asked, her face scrunched up. Cristina shook her head from her place on the floor.

“Well, Effie. I am not married to a girl. I’m married to a guy,” I said, running my hands through my hair.

“Oh,” she said, her mouth forming an ‘o’. “That’s even better! We can use you to appeal to both the male and female crowds of the Capital!”

I didn't want to be used to appeal to the masses. But I did want to live.

So I shrugged.


	3. Chapter 3

We arrived at the Capital and were ushered into rooms where our prep team was waiting for us. 

My prep team looked tame for the Capital. 

A lady named Dot, with dark tattoos inked high on her cheeks. A man with green skin, named Alaric. A man named Raj, with a tall, curly blue wig, powder blue lips, and swirling gold tattoos on his temples. And an older lady named Imogen, who had grey hair and lavender skin. They were all loud and crazy and they talked enough for about thirteen people between the four of them. And I loved them. They reminded me of my family, with their loudness and their crazy clothes. 

They made me sit in a tub of disgusting smelling liquid, and then they decided to wax all of the hair that wasn’t on my head off. Gross. 

After they tortured me, I was given a soft white robe and told to wait for my stylist to come in. 

I didn’t have to wait long. Soon enough, the door opened and a girl who looked about my age stepped into the room. I was struck by how ordinary she looked, considering she was from the Capital. She had long blonde hair braided into a ponytail, normal colored skin, normal colored eyes, the only thing that set her apart was her tattoos. She had gold swirls going down her temples and behind her ears. 

She smiled warmly at me. “Hi! I’m Lydia Branwell, your stylist! You must be Alec.”

“I am.” 

“Well, let’s get started. Please, stand up so I can see what I’m working with.”

I awkwardly stood up, pulling the robe tighter. 

“Sorry, but I need you to drop the robe.”

I looked at her in horror. “But I’m not wearing anything underneath! They took all of my other clothes!”

“Sorry. I need to see what I’m working with,” she said, matter-of-factly.

I felt my cheeks burn bright pink, but I peeled my robe off. I knew that she could make me memorable, which would get me sponsors, which would give me a better chance, or she could make me forgettable, which is really not good. 

She circled me like a hawk. She muttered words under her breath as she walked around me. It made me very nervous. 

Lydia finally stopped walking around me. “I have an idea for your costumes! You can put your robe back on, by the way.” She turned and walked through a door that materialized out of nowhere. “C’mon,” she called over her shoulder. 

I hastily got up and tied my robe tight before following her. 

We entered a small room with a table and two chairs. Lydia sat at one chair, so I took the other. 

We sat in silence for about a minute, when the table seemed to open, and food appeared on the table. There was different pots of soup and differents types of meat, squirrel and deer and lamb. There was a pot of hot chocolate, of orange juice, of some weird red liquid. 

Lydia studied me as I ate. Once she seemed satisfied, she helped herself to a plate. 

Once we were finished eating, she looked at me with a gleam in her eyes. “Alec, are you afraid of fire?”

She just laughed at me horrified expression. 

“I was thinking of a theme for you, because coal and dirt are way overdone. And what better theme than fire!”

I didn’t want to talk about her setting me on fire anymore, so I changed the subject. “This is your first year as a designer person, right?”

At her nod, I questioned her further. “Makes sense, them giving you the least desirable District for your first year.”

Lydia shook her head. “No. I requested you when I saw volunteer for your brother. That was so brave of you. I don’t pretend to understand what you’re going through, but I will say, you are brave. I hope I can do you justice with your outfit.”

I was shocked. This girl who had never met me before today, she understood me. Wow. 

“Thank you,” I choked out, after a few silent moments of me being awkwardly silent. 

She gave me a sweet smile, and squeezed my hand reassuringly. 

“Now, about that fire!”

 

I gulped.   
______________________________________________________________________________

Lydia had put me in black pants, sturdy black boots, and she had dusted my bare chest with black dust, to look like coal dust. The dust seemed to shimmer on me, like a fire made of pressed powder. She had rigged a weird almost invisible looking string thing to go up around my back and arms. The string had fake flames coming out of them. But it just looked like I was on fire. It was awesome. 

My face had only a small amount of makeup. There was a little mascara smudged at the corners of my eyes and some other powder stuff on my face. 

The finishing touch was a black crown resting on my head, made of a heavy material, a black so dark, I felt as though they had taken some of the night’s sky and made it into a crown. That was my favorite part of my outfit. 

Effie sucked in a breath when she saw me. “Oh, Alec! You look so handsome!”

I felt myself flush. “Thanks,” I muttered. 

Cristina walked up to us, in a red dress that looked like fire when she moved and tall black boots. Her hair was done up in a bun thing and she had dark, dramatic makeup. 

“You two look incredible!” Effie squealed. 

She then ushered us to the horses and the carriage things that we were to stand on when we were introduced. 

We talked while we waited. I found out more about Cristina. Like that she had a boyfriend waiting for her at home; his name was Diego. She was an only child, and I felt for her mother. 

We both knew neither of us was getting out of this thing alive.


End file.
